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by welcometothisday



Series: Find Your Way Home. You Are Free [2]
Category: God of War (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff, Heavy Petting, smut in second chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 08:20:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20832305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/welcometothisday/pseuds/welcometothisday
Summary: “Holy Hel, you’re wearing a shirt.”Kratos, son of Zeus, the Ghost of Sparta, and God of War, arched a brow at the woman. “Why is that surprising?”Faye scoffed, “You practically run around half naked all of the time, and in the frost of all things. It’s a wonder how you haven’t frozen your nipples off.”It was obvious the deity was doing his best not to be gob smacked, but was failing terribly. “It’s not that cold.”“Kratos, you literally came home with icicles coating you,” she grumbled, wringing out the laundry. Damn, blood stains were tricky....Sighing, she examined the cloth in her hand. He leaned over, “How do you know how to remove the stains?” He thought for a moment, “I never really learned.”What? Did blood magically dissipate along with his wounds? Wait, nevermind. Best not to dwell on that too much.“I’m a woman, if you haven’t noticed,” she said flatly. “It’d be extremely inconvenient if women didn’t know how to clean blood.”There was a pause, and she felt his breath on her ear, on her neck. It was warm and tickled a little. “I’ve noticed.”





	Home

“Holy Hel, you’re wearing a shirt.”

Kratos, son of Zeus, the Ghost of Sparta, and God of War, arched a brow at the woman. “Why is that surprising?”

Faye scoffed, “You practically run around half naked all of the time, and in the frost of all things. It’s a wonder how you haven’t frozen your nipples off.”

It was obvious the deity was doing his best not to be gob smacked, but was failing terribly. “It’s not that cold.”

“Kratos, you literally came home with icicles coating you,” she grumbled, wringing out the laundry. Damn, blood stains were tricky. “And the bear you had held ice inside it.”

He had the decency to appear a little guilty, “Well…”

“Wait, you stab the bear with ice?!” He didn’t give an answer, which was an answer in itself. Groaning , she said, “That explains the missing tufts of fur. Please tell me it was dead when you did it.”

She didn’t know whether to believe him or not when he nodded. Sighing, she examined the cloth in her hand. He leaned over, “How do you know how to remove the stains?” He thought for a moment, “I never really learned.”

What? Did blood magically dissipate along with his wounds? Wait, nevermind. Best not to dwell on that too much.

“I’m a woman, if you haven’t noticed,” she said flatly. “It’d be extremely inconvenient if women didn’t know how to clean blood.”

There was a pause, and she felt his breath on her ear, on her neck. It was warm and tickled a little. “I’ve noticed.”

She sat up from her hunched spot, nearly flailing out of her seat. Kratos caught her, the son of a bitch was smirking down at her in his arms. The smirk faltered a little at seeing her expression. Gruffly, he stood them up, helping her onto her feet, “Apologies.”

“I-It’s fine,” she said quietly. Wincing, she realized something. “Kratos, how experienced are you?”

He suddenly seemed very, very worried. “Fairly.”

“So, not just your wife?”

Kratos was very, _very_ worried. She could practically see him sweating. “Yes.”

“And you’re not going to elaborate on that?”

He had shifted his eyes away from her, looking pained and guilty. “No.”

He disappeared on her again. She pinched the bridge of her nose, only to feel it warm. Thinking of how many people Kratos had been with, uh…

Well, the imagination didn’t need much when one had grown up seeing nude art with various depictions of certain activities, and the fact she’d accidentally seen more of Kratos more than she ought to have.

So, why did she feel so anxious about being intimate with him? Sex was natural, healthy according to some healers, and knowing him it would be nice. He was always considerate, and gentle, and-

Right, her time with him would lessen significantly once she got pregnant. Her son and her love would be alone, to face the wrath of the Norse gods, of Odin, and the end of their world. Yes, there was supposedly a happy ending that would usher in a new era with good gods, but that meant more death, Kratos’ death, her son’s…

She was dooming them both. But if she didn’t, she’d also be dooming everyone else. If she let the world burn, then regardless of her choices, Kratos and their son would burn too. Heck, if her son didn’t exist, it was a certainty that everything and everyone would be gone. The same would happen to Kratos.

Faye was going to die either way, so she might as well make her death worthy of having been living and fighting for.

Wait, maybe she could have sex without making babies? Maybe they didn’t have to have a child just yet? She both dreaded and was excited for her son’s arrival, but she honestly wanted a bit more time with Kratos before then. So, maybe she could…

Recalling that Kratos ran out the door, Faye scowled and grabbed her cloak, racing outside. “Kratos! I swear if this becomes a habit, you’re going to get that perky little ass kicked!”

He appeared out of nowhere. Damned god powers. At the same time, they said, “Are you sure you can’t turn into an animal?”, and “You think my ass is ‘perky’?”

Now they were likely both disappointed. She gestured to his figure, “Oh please, the top half is all muscles and, I’m not sure what to call the bottom half other than skinny in comparison.”

He arched a brow, and she tried not to react to the insinuation in his expression.

“Stop that.”

Kratos still didn’t seem to emote much in others’ eyes, but it was getting easier and easier for her to understand him as days went by. “No, I can’t turn into an animal, Faye. The only god I knew who could was…”

He grimaced, looking disgusted. Recalling her Greek myths, she realized the most famous myths involving gods changing form was Zeus. Most of those situations weren’t consensual or involved trickery. Instead of letting him finish, Faye took his hand, “We’re going to the village, you’re getting drinks at the bar and I’ll get some ingredients for a meal I’ve been wanting to try.”

“I-“

Sighing, she said, “Please? There’s something I need to do.”

After a moment, he followed, and they started to navigate their way through the Wildwoods to the nearby crumbling temple. People had found residence there, bringing in caravans and wares to keep the humans of the land alive.

Faye and Kratos rarely visited for various reasons. One, they weren’t exactly people persons. Two, it took a lot out of her to cover up what she was. Everything, even charms, had prices. The cost of hiding a giant from deities was immensely difficult already. It was why her barrier was so useful. Then there was the fact that she and Kratos aged so much slower. Technically, she was a mortal and he immortal, but giants’ lives were still far longer lasting than most.

Then, there was the fact that the more she interfered with others, interacted with them, the higher chance there was for her to be found, for them both to be found.

At the ruins of the temple, some greeted them, most still wary of Kratos. Some were still wary of her, but that was to be expected given her size and how she, as a woman, could fight well enough to kick a puny troll’s butt. Seriously, she did that once, and she hoped Kratos wouldn’t hear about it. He might try to have her do that kind of thing again. Well guess what? Unlike some people she wasn’t super strong or had massively thick skin to go with that shiny, thick head.

Faye glanced around for Odin’s ravens, glad to see Jöphie circling the area. There was a tuft of black feathers mixed with ichor in her mouth. Good.

Kratos was quiet as some men greeted him. He wouldn’t call them friends, but Faye could see that he did like them even if he hid it well. He looked to her, and she nodded with a soft smile, gesturing to the stores where she would be. Kratos’ back straightened as he walked alongside the men. Meanwhile, she entered a shop where the herbalist and spices woman was.

After getting the nuts and other items she needed, she blushed and cleared her throat. “I uh, I need medication for my monthlies. They’re irregular and I-“

“Pennyroyal, mugwort, or tansy?”

Faye coughed, thinking carefully, “Pennyroyal and tansy?”

Those were less expensive, and arguably more effective. Mugwort had a significantly higher chance of side effects Faye wasn’t interested in. People were supposed to be able to find them anywhere, but the herbs were hard to find near Faye’s home, and she suspected that a great number of other women searched too.

The shopkeeper nodded sagely. “And dear, if you use this for other purposes than monthlies, then that’s fine too, no matter what anyone says.”

“…I’ll bear that in mind.”

Faye didn’t dare want to say anything else. Instead, she hesitated. Leaving herself alone behind the tent, she breathed in and out, focusing. Unlike some giants, she had to search to see the future. Besides the racier scenes, no matter what time she chose to have a child, even with what contraception she had or choice afterwards, there he would be.

Other giantesses had done something similar, but it was unfortunate the humans and gods couldn’t. But then again, seeing the future was rarely a good thing. She lost her people because of it, and her? She started having problems seeing when the slaughter began. It was sometimes as if there was a block in her mind. Was it of her own volition? Being that much in denial or fearful? She didn’t know.

But, here she was, seriously considering being with Kratos like this. All she wanted was a little more time, to not just be some livestock to be used for what others were expecting. She wasn’t a lamb, or fowl, or fish. She was a person, and so much more than just the mother of someone or the lover of another. Nor was she some kind of hero to put on a pedestal. She was Faye, no grand titles needed. She was a person, and she wanted to be selfish, just a little.

Faye inhaled, making sure her groceries were in her bag. Walking to the bar, she arched a brow and folded her arms at the sight of the mess. Kratos was completely sober, some men were on the ground, and one or two had impressively colorful swollen eyes. Thankfully, all appeared alive.

“Kratos?”

He hummed, lifting huge bags of gold. “They lost a bet.”

“Uh huh,” she replied, carefully toeing one of the men in the ribs. Oh good, groaning meant breathing. “And what was the bet?”

“Arm wrestling. Drinking contest. They lost.”

Glancing down, she asked, “And the black eyes?”

He scowled, “They, implied things, about your virtue.”

“Ah,” she said, pausing before she kicked the man at her feet a little harder. His pained groan was more than satisfactory. “Well, I guess I’m done. Shall we take our leave?”

Kratos grunted approvingly before taking some gold from one of the bags and tossing it at the barkeeper, who was disturbingly nonchalant about all of this. Then again, it was also tradition for these kinds of people to smash plates, mugs, and other eating surfaces to show gratitude and enjoyment of a meal. Poor guy, how much of his stuff was wrecked?

But, the barkeeper smiled at Kratos then, inclining his head before doing the same for her. “Take care of her, lad.”

“I will.”

Faye wrinkled her nose, “Do I want to know what happened?”

Kratos hummed, “Brushing up on some traditions.”

“I dread to know what you learned,” she chuckled. Pausing, she added, “Please don’t break my stuff. It’s hard to replace.”

That made him laugh at the very least. “Did you get what you needed?”

She held his hand, enjoying the sensation of their fingers intermingling. “Yes, I think I did.”

“Good.”

* * *

In the morning, Faye found a wreath of purple flowers close to the bed in a bunch. Tying them together was a ribbon with Kratos’ messy, Greek scrawl. Carefully picking them up, she wondered why Kratos would get these. And, why did everything look so clean? She usually struggled a little keeping up with her new resident’s needs, but all was sparkling right now. It meant she didn’t have much to do.

Kratos left the steam room then, grumbling as he tugged a tunic. He was wearing a shirt, again? “Uh, Kratos? Are you okay?”

Upon realizing she was awake, he nodded, inclining his head to the wreath of flowers. “Are they acceptable?”

“Er, they’re fine?” she replied, unsure. Swiftly, she walked to him, placing a palm on his forehead. He was hot, but he normally ran warmer than most. As she did this, she blinked at the sight of his beard. He had trimmed it. Blinking, she opened her mouth and closed it several times before a light went off in her head. “Wait, are you-? Are you trying to court me?”

He flinched, “I am not doing well.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” she admitted, wrinkling her nose. “It just doesn’t make sense for you. This kind of courting doesn’t seem to be your, style for a lack of words. And, why would you court me when we live together?”

Kratos made a choking noise at the back of his throat, looking away from her. “I, you mean a great deal to me and…”

Gods she was a fool. “You, want to marry me?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “I want to court you as well, to properly earn your hand.”

Snorting, she placed her hand in his, “You already have, but if you wish to court me, do it your way.” When he looked at her questionably, she rolled her eyes. “Hearing and seeing the same ways of courting gets a little dull. Not to mention that I doubt it’d be a nice view if you dyed your beard yellow.”

He blanched, rubbing said beard. Please don’t consider doing that. Please don’t consider doing that. “If we courted the Spartan way, I would only see you at night and in secrecy. You would dress as a man and when we were married you own your own property as well as male family members away in battle to better run the household.”

Faye blinked, then gestured to all around them before gesturing to her obviously non-feminine clothing. “Well, I guess we don’t meet in secret when we go out at night, but I like seeing you in daylight.”

He nodded, “That, and if we wed, you’d have to cut it and keep it short.”

“In my culture, long hair is to be prized,” she said slowly.

Kratos smiled, “See? And apparently you can divorce me if I don’t, _satisfy_ you enough.”

She made a few odd noises in embarrassment before collecting herself. “Anything else I should know about your people?”

“…Women were free to sleep with other men to copulate with little to no repercussions for the sake of having more strong and healthy children-“

“No,” Faye grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. “No. That might work for other people, but just, _no_.”

The bastard was laughing at her.

“Wait, did you and Lysandra do this?!”

It was getting easier for him to speak of his other wife and child. Snorting, he sat on the bed, patting the side so she would join him. “Lysandra did not completely shave her head, but she did sneak out of her home wearing men’s clothing and waited in the dark for me. Then, I broke out of my barracks to meet her. We…Consummated our union and thus, were married.”

Faye sighed, “That’s, practical?”

Wait, didn't that mean that with the exception of them er, consummating the union, that they were technically married? After all, they had pretty much done everything else.

“We were all soldiers. Some were more, affectionate than others, but marriage wasn’t meant to be all for love-“

“Mainly child bearing,” she murmured. “I suppose that aspect stays the same wherever you go.”

He was quiet for a long moment and was about to say something when Faye asked, “What about Calliope? If all children were supposed to be healthy and strong…”

Her voice had drifted, and he got the implication. “Few dared to anger with those who had greater positions of power. Seeing as I was protected by the very gods themselves and a prized general known for my bloodshed, few wished to learn my wrath.”

“That, makes sense,” she said, caught between disgust and amusement.

“But,” he added. “It also wouldn’t have been enough. So, I sought the Ambrosia of Asclepius.”

Thinking deeply, she said, “The food of the gods?”

“Yes. Asclepius is the god of healing.”

Hopefully this wouldn’t irritate him. “Wait, wasn’t Apollo the god of healing?”

“He was also the god of archery, music, dance, truth, prophecy, the sun, poetry, and more.” At her scowl, he regained a hint of a smile. “For many of the gods’ children, they inherited something or focused on something from their predecessors. Asclepius was the son of Apollo. It was said he had the power to bring the dead back to life because of his uncanny ability to heal.”

What did Kratos inherit from Zeus then? And what would their son inherit from Kratos? Considering how fiery Kratos was, she wouldn't doubt it if Loki gained some aspect of that. She just hoped he didn't gain any wrath either. 

“Okay?” she shrugged. “I’ll try to keep up.”

He smirked, then it fell. “Do you remember what I said about Alrik, the barbarian?”

“He fought you and you and your people would’ve fallen had you not called out for Ares,” she said, trying to remain neutral. Seeing his expression, she said, “There’s more to the story, isn’t there?”

“Alrik had also been searching for the Ambrosia. He wanted revenge against me for my success in the trials to find it,” he explained.

Holy shit. “You did all of that for your daughter.”

One that the rest of the world had turned their backs on. A child dying, and he sacrificed everything for. In the end, Ares took her away. The gods took his brother and mother. And at the end of it all, Kratos even sacrificed himself by trying to take his life, to release the hope that Pandora instilled into him so that he could save humanity.

Why was it that all she’d ever heard before was how evil he was? No, this man was not good, nor could what he did be excused, but he was not evil either. He was complicated, a stoic man with a strong heart, and with more scars than anyone could possibly imagine. And now? She was afraid she might be adding more to those.

"Faye." Oh it must be important if the precedent to whatever he was about to say was her name. "I am not interested in rearing children." Huh? Her expression must've belied her confusion. "The last time I took a wife, and she bore my child, they perished by my hand."

And he was covered in their ashes. Yeah, that was a bit of a mood killer. The problem was, she was supposed to have his offspring, his son, and the possible savior for everyone in the realms. So, they kind of needed to perform certain acts and get her pregnant.

...That sounded so disturbing. She really, really wanted to agree with him on not having children, but at the same time, it wasn't just the prophecy in her mind. She could still hear and see hints of Loki in her visions. She could see her son, and she knew she'd love him as she knew Kratos would. Kratos asked her name again, and Faye wished that everyone hadn't been depending on her, on them. She wished for a quiet life, a peaceful one, on without gods. But, that would mean a world without Kratos, and without her son in turn.

He was reluctant, but reassuring, as he spoke. “If you do not wish for children, we need not have any. It’s not the reason I wish to court you. But, I will protect them, Faye. And, I will love them best I can.”

She flinched, her mind wandering into that possibility far too much. “I’m not against having children or being a mother in general, Kratos. I just don’t want that to be my entire purpose, to be everything I am. I like being a little wild, to be free in the woods, and to do the things I can now. I can fight, I can climb, and I can…”

Raking her hand through her hair, she sighed. “And, I’m afraid I’d be a terrible mother.”

There it was. She knew she’d die, leaving them all alone. She’d die and leave them to beings wishing them dead. She’d leave them to people that would take away any semblance of happiness if they could. She’d leave her loved ones in the hands of those who slaughtered her family, and countless more across the realm. How could a parent, a spouse, ever want that on their child?

Freya came to mind. The goddess had good intentions, but she tried too hard to shield him. Now, he could never feel anything, ever again.

At least Kratos did everything in his power to prevent it without torturing his own child so much, even going against the impossible. Faye may have traveled to Hel and other realms that most found unfathomable to mark the paths they should follow, to _try_ to change their fates, but she still wondered if what she did would ever even matter.

“You’re good with the children in the village,” Kratos uttered carefully, trying to sound neutral. He didn’t want to push her in either direction despite his own doubts. “I don’t think the idea of you not wanting children would be because you would be a terrible mother. I think it should be your choice.”

He rarely spoke this much at once. Was it straining him too much? Was she putting him under too much pressure? Wincing at the possibilities for the future, she breathed out and leaned up to kiss Kratos’ cheek. “Thank you, Kratos. And, considering how much you went through for Calliope...” She met his gaze, "I don't think I'll ever be able to doubt your love for any child of ours."

He mumbled something affectionately, and Faye stood up, leading him to the kitchen area. They both needed a distraction. This was getting way too intense, and selfish though it may be, she wanted him to herself for now. She wanted the man she chose to love, regardless of what anybody else said.

“Do you remember how you were hunting last night? I uh, made something while you were away.”

Nervously, she took out a tray of small, brown gold squares from the ice box. Kratos gaped, lifting one of them up. “Baklava?”

Oh thank goodness it was recognizable. That meant she hadn’t botched it up too much.

“You talked about them so much that I wanted to try making them,” she admitted. “Some ingredients are missing though, so for the fruit part I used cloudberries and a little extra honey. For the lemons, well, I tried to get some but they don’t make it this far up North. I used some buttermilk and yogurt since I was told it could be a substitute and the cardamom-“

He was eating half the plate already. And for Kratos? It was hard to fake that smile. So, he liked it? She thought? She hoped? Or was he just humoring her? Kratos stopped after a moment and cleared his throat. “It’s good.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said, wiping a couple of crumbs from his lips. “Any recommendations to make it better?”

This time, his thumb brushed the bottom of her lip. “Taste it with me?”

He probably hadn't expected her to kiss him, but she did, tasting the sticky sweetness of the food she made. He was staring as she touched her own mouth. “I, it’s good.”

“Good,” he murmured back, pressing his less sticky lips to her forehead.

Shyly, she said, “We have some more if you’d like. I had to practice a lot, so I don’t know if those are as good as these, though.”

Leaning down with half lidded eyes, he whispered, “I’m sure they will be.”

This time, she didn’t jump away or try to hide. Swallowing, she let him get closer until he paused in front of her, gently cupping her jaw. Closing her eyes, she reached up, pressing her lips to his. He really did taste sweet, like nuts and cloudberries. It was a little tart, but earthy at the same time.

He groaned into her mouth, his fingers on her jaw sliding up her neck to hold her in his arms, scratching her scalp lightly. Trembling, she stroked part of his ear, accidentally touching a sensitive area behind his ears. He hissed, and she started to move away, worried she did something wrong. Instead, he carefully pulled her closer, light enough for her to pull away if she wanted to leave. She didn’t.

Gasping, she pressed a little closer, her hands moving across his shirt, feeling his heartbeat as his skin heated more than it had been before. He left her mouth then, nibbling on her ear before kissing behind it. She squeaked but didn’t move away. Faye could’ve sworn he was smiling as he moved from her ear to pressing his lips down her jawline to the pulse in her throat. This time, she couldn’t hold back a small moan. Realizing what she did, Faye covered her mouth.

Kratos was looking at her, his fingertips brushing over the marking he’d left on her. Faye shivered, but not from the cold. “Faye?”

“I-“ she whispered only to sense him pulling away.

Growling, she tugged him back down to her. He made a pleased noise, his hands wandering to her hips. Something warm was lightening inside of her, and she knew she wanted more. At the same time, all these sensations were near overwhelming. There was too much to feel, and yet not enough.

Breathless, she looked up at Kratos, feeling his hot, not warm but hot, gaze upon her. He rasped her name, and picked her up, kissing her as though he needed her so he could breathe. Laying her on the bed, he was only partially over her. He didn’t want to crowd her.

Seeing her stiffen, he said, “We only go as far as you wish to.”

Swallowing, she kissed the hollow of his throat, causing him to rumble. “Please.”

Kratos took her hand, kissing it and leaning his cheek against it. Then, he kissed her again, his thumb stroking the sensitive part of her throat. His free hand held the bottom of her tunic only for a moment before he took off his own shirt. She blinked, confused for a moment until he pressed her hand to his chest, right over his heartbeat. His heart was pounding just as fast as hers.

The nervousness inside her calmed a bit. Kratos whispered in her ear, “Take what you need.”

This time, he was leaning back. Gaping, she moved over him, furrowing her eyebrows. He kissed the inside of her palm, waiting. Bending down, she kissed him, cupping his cheek. Understanding what he was telling her, she looked at him, really looked at him.

Her fingertips reached, grazing his eyebrows. He waggled them, likely teasing her. She tried to frown but found herself unable to. Gently, carefully, she began to run her hands on the shape of his face, examining every curve, every scar, every line she could find. Each part held the story of him.

Kratos had closed his eyes, the eyebrows being drawn together as she slid her thumbs over his ears. There, she found a hint of something. Whispering, she asked, “You had earrings?”

“So did a lot of boys,” he murmured.

She smiled, “So do a lot of people here. They’re considered beautiful. I just didn’t know what your people, what _you_ did.”

He opened his eyes, leaning into her hands, uttering, “Should I wear them again?”

“If you want to,” she replied. “It’s just a strange though, imagining you with them.” Her hand started tracing his tattoos, the muscles in his neck tightening. Tensing, she asked him, “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” he croaked. “Please? I need your touch.”

It occurred to Faye then, just how long, how little, Kratos may have been touched with tenderness. How long had it been since he had been touched by someone who cared about him? He'd been anxious before about mentioning relationships in his past. She was starting to understand that moments like the ones he spent with strangers may have been the few times he could have gotten some semblance of affection. As odd as it sounded, perhaps that was partially what gave him strength to push on, for the few moments he felt human again, for better or worse. Clasping their hands together, it was she who kissed his forehead, and the inside of his wrist. He rasped, pressing their lips against the other before letting her continue.

Damn it, she was going to make sure he knew he was loved. She was going to give him the world. She was going to give him all of her.

This time when they kissed, she shyly let her tongue brushed over his lips. He groaned, holding her tighter against him as he opened his mouth for her. It was strange, unexpected, and, she liked it.

He had sat up, and she was in his lap, her legs around his waist. Yes, she felt a splash of fear, but it was consumed by an ocean of something else entirely. One of his hands strayed to her back and hers rested on his chest. He let her breathe, eyes filled with concern only for them to be filled with surprise as she pushed him down and sucking an area just underneath his jaw.

Realizing what she did, she sat back up, covering her mouth. Kratos took her free hand, kissing it. “Please, don’t stop.”

Oh gods, he was begging her. She confessed, “I, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“Whatever feels right, and no more and no less than that,” he said.

Guilt and confusion still plagued her. She wanted him to have what he needed too. She didn't want to take advantage, to...

Whispering hoarsely, she answered with, “I don’t want to use you. I don’t want to hurt you. What if-?”

He wiped away some of her tears, kissing the others away. Kratos didn’t, couldn’t, understand all of the meanings in her words. He cupped her cheek, “We can stop, but Faye? You wouldn’t be using me, or hurting me.” He swallowed. “You heal me.”

No, she didn’t, she really didn’t. Biting the inside of her cheek, she said, “Tell me? If I’m hurting you? If I’m doing something wrong? I don’t want to-“

He kissed her again before stroking the bottom of her lip. “I will tell you. Please?”

Damn it, he was already on his knees, pleading for her to do something. Trembling, her hands found his heart again, needing to feel it. It was somewhat calmer now, but quickened underneath her touch. Instead of being so rough though, she kissed him again. He led her back down. This time, she brushed her lips over and against his throat. Moving to his collarbone, she needed to feel one of his hands with her. It anchored her there, making her feel safer, for both of them.

Pausing, she placed a kiss right over where his heart was, causing him to gasp. “Faye.”

Her nails caressed against every scar, every scratch, and even a few birthmarks she found. Trying to calm them both, she touched the one in his abdomen, “Tell me about them?”

He did. Then, she inhaled, reaching for the bottom of her tunic. Looking him in the eye, her face aflame, she asked, “Help me?”

Faye's voice had cracked with nervousness, but she was determined. A light reappeared in his eyes, and he sat up again, slowly helping her pull it off her. Her heart quickened and she barely resisted the urge to cover herself, even with the binding around her chest. He frowned, his fingers tracing over the red lines on her skin made by the cloth. Kratos held her hand again, pressing his forehead against hers. Rousing her from her worry, he said something in Greek, as though he were vowing something.

“Kratos?”

“Tell me?”

He was gesturing to her scars. They weren’t nearly as numerous nor impressive as his, but they were there just the same. Laughing breathily, she touched her shoulder, “I got this one from my first hunt. I was with my family, and one of the little ones ran in front of a boar, one with tusks. It was actually a gentle creature, but we hadn’t realized we intruded in its home, frightening its children. I uh, reacted without thinking and jumped in front of it.”

“Fool,” he teased, reminding her of what he said what felt like an eternity ago. She jabbed at him lightly with her elbow. “And that one?”

Oh, her ribs. “One of my first real fights. There was this troll, and I didn’t realize until afterwards that ribs weren’t supposed to stick out like that. Thankfully we had a healer nearby. It was also the first time I had alcohol.”

According to rumors, Mimir had insisted on the alcohol. She didn’t remember much, nor had she met the fellow, but apparently he said something about switching magic eyes for magic nipples when her people gave him foresight? For someone that was supposed to be smart, he was an idiot. Then again, look who was talking.

“And this?”

They continued like that for a while, slowly getting more and more comfortable as they took off more parts of their clothing. It was less intense, and more exploratory. It was more, relaxing. He liked her muscles despite them scaring others away, and he liked her tattoos. At some point, they joked they could get a matching set.

Faye arched a brow, “So, who does the bite mark belong to?”

She was looking pointedly at a scar on his thigh. He snorted, “Pet of Hades.”

Hades, God and King of the Underworld, but not the same as Thanatos, god of Death. “Ouch. It’s nowhere near as vicious as yours, but I’ve one on my inner knee. Wolves grip on as soon as they get something in their mouths.”

She even turned her leg so he could see. Kratos made an odd noise, and noticed him looking away. She was technically still covered, but minimally. Basically, he could see all up her legs and the only thing preventing him from seeing further was a small piece of fabric. Her cheeks flushed, she immediately closed her legs, recalling that they were both almost in the nude. How could she have forgotten?

For some reason, it was nice. Faye kissed Kratos’ cheek, placing her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

He hummed, placing his head on hers as he leaned back.

“Kratos? We don’t need to court in either of our people’s cultures,” she said. “We could just, do what feels right. So, if you want to try some of your traditions, I’m happy with that. The same goes for mine. And, I’d like to court you too.”

Technically they were farther than most would in courting, but it wasn’t unheard of for her people. Sometimes, a little bedplay was even encouraged. She just never really gave it thought until Kratos. It didn’t seem like such a big deal. In fact, with everything happening in her life, she just thought it’d be a distraction. Before him, she hadn’t even imagined being able to have a child of her own. Pregnancy? For a long time she thought it meant being helpless, being useless. Now? Yes, there was still a prophecy, but that wasn’t the reason she was even considering it.

‘Squeezing his hand, she breathed, “And, not now, but I would be honored to bear your child.”

Oh gods that sounded a lot weirder than how she recited it in her head. However, Kratos didn’t seem to think the same as he snogged her unexpectedly. Blushing, she yelped, “I said no babies yet!”

He grinned. Not his usual kind of grin that most couldn’t make out, but actually grinned. “Not all bed play involves procreation.”

“Huh?”

Apparently, Kratos knew a LOT of things someone could do.

* * *

She was sore. Faye was so sore. She didn’t even want to move. Ouch.

“Faye?”

“How the Hel did your previous partners survive what you did last night?” Groaning, she plopped her head into the pillow. “You didn’t even, how the-?”

He just nuzzled the back of her neck. “Greece is a lot more, open, about certain...Physical aspects. That, and in Olympus Dionysus had added texts from India to the library. There were entire tomes of advice for this alone.”

She choked. That’s it, that’s how she was gonna die. This man was going to give her a heart attack, she would die during the act, or some combination of both. 

_But would that be such a bad thing?_

Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts!

Next thing she knew, Kratos’ hands were pressing small circles in her back, causing her to shiver. Kratos murmured, “Sorry.”

“Just don’t stop,” she mumbled, arching a little into his fingers. “Besides, I kind of initiated and, uh…” She groaned, not sure if she was doing so out of embarrassment, or from the wonderful things Kratos’ fingers were doing. “I continued it.”

Why did he like her on top of him or in his lap so much? Damn it, he didn’t even penetrate her. He just, touched her, and found some sensitive spots. She was dead, she was so dead.

“Rest,” he said, covering her with one of the blankets.

It occurred to her then, what did Kratos get out of it? Before he could leave the bed, she made herself sit up, and reach for him. Tugging him down, she glared, obviously confusing him. “Kratos, did you get anything out of that? Out of, everything?”

“Faye. You don’t need to-“

“I said I didn’t want to use you, and I meant that,” she stated. And she meant that, she really did. “So…Tell me what to do, to make you feel as good as you did me last night.”

He wheezed, and she couldn’t tell if he was laughing or in shock. Likely both. Wait, what did she just say? “Faye, I got more out of it than you can imagine.”

“But-“

Kratos leaned up so that his lips brushed against her ear.

“Faye, your voice can do wonders,” he whispered softly, causing her to tremble. His hand brushed her waist. “Seeing and hearing you as I did last night? It was paradise.”

Faye only managed to stutter in embarrassment and disbelief. Yep, heart attack, massive heart attack. He kissed her forehead again, and she was more than tempted to drag him back in just to get something across to him, but it felt like he wasn’t ready either. 

A lot of people might’ve been offended or hurt, but to Faye? She was rally starting to think Kratos was the best thing in her life.

“Can I have some more baklava?”

Here they go again.

* * *

Faye knew that Kratos was up to something, constantly sneaking off and carrying giant trees. Thankfully none had her handprints on them, but it was concerning. They had been exchanging gifts, going on walks, hunting, and being more open with each other in general (emotionally and physically). Faye just hoped that Kratos wasn’t trying to make her a steam hut or temple. That would be too much.

On the latest anniversary, he had gotten them each a sword. Even though they weren’t made by dwarrow, they were still magnificent. Part of her wondered from the slightly jagged edges if Kratos had made them himself. She was just glad she enjoyed her attempts at making a Greek feast, or the close equivalent. Hopefully he wasn’t just humoring her when he wanted more.

The only thing he didn’t seem to like was her attempts at making wine, but he drank it anyway since she had been preparing it for a little over a year. Thankfully, he hadn’t lost his dinner. Honey, please don’t die of food poisoning, please.

He also had gone to the villagers often, and she could’ve sworn she heard them gossiping about courting and what women liked. He had even gone to some of the women, one of whom had conveniently bumped into her and grabbed her arm.

The stranger had excited sparks in her eyes. “Marry him.”

“What?”

“I swear, that man is a god,” the woman squeaked excitedly. Oh, she had no idea. “Handsome and strong and considerate, you’re a very lucky woman.”

Faye still had little to no idea what was going on, but instinctively and with a smile she replied, “I know.”

“Do you?” the woman said. “Men don’t go to the lengths he does.”

The stranger disappeared then, and Faye? She had mixed feelings. She didn’t want Kratos to put her on a pedestal, to make her out as perfect. At the same time though, he did go above and beyond, and she wanted that to happen for the future, for them and their child.

Most men wouldn’t go to face literal death to save their loved ones, or challenge the gods for what they believed in.

Kratos? It was becoming more and more apparent why he was someone they all needed.

* * *

They were supposed to be hunting, but it somehow devolved into more of playfully hunting each other. She was nervous about straying further from the barrier, but for some reason, she felt safe. Looking around, she could see the golden hand prints on trees. Then, she realized that these were parts of trees she had placed multiple handprints on. They had been stuck in a circular pattern all around the area.

Kratos had expanded the circle without breaking the barrier. Did he understand how many ways that could’ve gone wrong? How much danger they could’ve been in?

Her future husband arrived at her side, nodding as she looked at him wordlessly. “Jöphie helped. She, doesn’t obey or listen, but she pointed the way. She has an uncanny way of explaining what needed to be done.”

That was kind of obvious now that she saw the obvious scratches and bird peck marks on his hands. Kratos really needed to stop getting hurt on her behalf.

“Why would you expand the barrier?” she asked, trying to contain all of her emotions. He seemed shy all of a sudden as he led her to what should’ve been an open clearing. Instead, there was a house. It was bigger than hers, with a side to contain things, a fire pit in the front, and an area for a garden. “Kratos?”

He was silent as he led her inside. Patterns she had in her walls were replicated. There was a large bed with more padding and furnishings than the residence they lived in. Some of it obviously came from their residence (he wasn’t exactly good at knitting or sewing), and a larger kitchen area with pots and pans, some er, more handmade than others. But, the dents were still lovable. They had his character in them.

“Faye?”

She touched one of the wood varnishes, her eyes wide as she looked around. “You, made all of this?”

He nodded, shy. Since when had he ever been shy? "I’m giving you a home, just as you did for me.”

Near where the bed was, she felt a rug covering some kind of trap door, likely to something underground. Pressing a toe to it, while she didn't ask, Kratos answered, "The Blades of Chaos are there."

Deciding to not let that deter her, she said, "This all...I can't..."

Shaking her head, she practically leapt at him into an embrace. He gasped, but held her close, ducking his nose into the inside of her neck.

Something felt different then. It felt as though all of her fear was gone. Relief came over her in that moment, and she shuddered as she breathed. Leaning back, she searched his eyes. His were darkening just as much as hers were. With one hand over his heart and the other resting on his cheek, she kissed his other cheek, then his jaw, his nose, his forehead (which was a little difficult to reach), and finally, his lips. The first kisses were tender, soft, and they began to grow more fervent. His thumb stroked the juncture between her neck and her shoulder, close to her pulse.

She gasped as he lifted her and carried her to the bed, laying her down. "Faye?"

Smiling, she tugged him down for another deep, toe-curling kiss. "I love you."

She chanted it over and over again, eyes watering and giggling every once in a while. He switched their positions at some point so that she was over him.

His hands brushed over the outside of her thighs and before he could say anything, she said, "Yes."

Kratos' eyes widened, and he smiled with a low rumble in his throat.

If she thought she was sore last time, she was sure that she wouldn't be able to even walk after this.

**Author's Note:**

> Smut is in the second chapter.


End file.
